- Source: Topi Keskinen
Topi Keskinen (born 7 March 2003) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen and for the Finland national team. Keskinen is known for his pace, dribbling and agility with the ball.
Early life
Keskinen was born in Espoo, but soon after at his early age his family moved to Mikkeli in Eastern Finland. He started to play football in the youth sector of the local club Mikkelin Palloilijat (MP).
Club career
= MP
=He made his senior debut with MP first team in 2019, when the club played in third-tier level Kakkonen. The club won a promotion, and Keskinen signed a three-year deal with MP. He was named in the first team squad for the 2020 Ykkönen season, in Finland's second tier. In 2020, he also played briefly for the associate farm club Savilahden Urheilijat (SavU) in the fourth tier Kolmonen.
He finished the 2022 Ykkönen season scoring 10 goals and providing six assists for his team in the division.
= HJK Helsinki
=Keskinen signed a three-year deal with Finnish champions HJK on 23 November 2022, ahead of the 2023 Veikkausliiga season. On 8 February 2023, Keskinen scored four goals in his second competitive game for the club, in a 5–2 Finnish League Cup win over FC Lahti. The club ultimately won the league cup tournament.
He scored his first Veikkausliiga goal on 5 May 2023, in 2–1 away loss to KuPS. Keskinen also scored the winning goal, as HJK defeated Molde FK 1–0 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League 2nd qualifying round, on 25 July 2023. He played in all 14 matches in the HJK's 2023–24 European campaign, in which HJK qualified to the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage.
In the end of the 2023 season, Keskinen won his first Finnish championship title with HJK, which was the fourth championship of HJK in a row. He was named The Player of the Year by the supporters of the club, and the Rookie of the Year in Veikkausliiga. Keskinen finished his first season in the league scoring twice and providing eight assists in 25 matches.
Keskinen started the 2024 season efficiently scoring four goals and providing one assist in the first four matches of the season, for which he was awarded the league’s Player of the Month title in April 2024.
= Aberdeen
=On 12 August 2024, Keskinen moved to Scotland and signed a four-year deal with Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen for a transfer fee of €1 million, making him the second most expensive signing in Aberdeen's history. HJK also secured a sell-on clause in the transfer deal. Keskinen scored in his Aberdeen debut as a subtitute on 17 August 2024, by a winning goal on a stoppage-time in a 1–0 Scottish League Cup win against Queen's Park. On 28 September, he scored his first goal in Scottish Premiership, a winning goal in a 2–1 away win against Dundee, providing also an assist to the first goal. Three days later, Keskinen received his first SPFL Team of the Week selection. Next round on 6 October, Keskinen scored his second goal in the league, and provided an assist for his team's second goal, in a 3–2 home win over Hearts.
International career
= Youth
=In March 2022, Keskinen was callep up to Finland youth national team for the first time, when he was named in the Finland U19 squad for the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification Elite round games against Belgium, Italy and Germany. He made his youth national team debut on 23 March 2022 against Belgium, scoring a goal in the game.
He made his first appearance for the Finland under-21 national team on 7 June 2022, in a 3–0 home win against Azerbaijan. On 21 November 2023, Keskinen scored a brace for Finland U21 team, in a 6–0 home win against Armenia.
= Senior
=On 28 August 2024, Keskinen received his first call-up to Finland senior national team by head coach Markku Kanerva, for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B matches against Greece and England in September. He debuted on 7 September 2024 against Greece at the Karaiskakis Stadium. He substituted Oliver Antman in the 62nd minute as Greece won 3–0.
Personal life
Keskinen is a devoted Manchester United supporter, and has named Wayne Rooney his idol in football. During his free time, Keskinen is an avid fisherman; he has a tattoo of Rooney fishing on his forearm.
Career statistics
= Club
=As of 9 November 2024
= International
=As of match played 13 October 2024
Honours
HJK
Veikkausliiga: 2023
Finnish League Cup: 2023
Individual
Veikkausliiga Team of the Year: 2023
Veikkausliiga Rookie of the Year: 2023
Veikkausliiga Player of the Month: April 2024
References
External links
Topi Keskinen at Soccerway
Topi Keskinen at WorldFootball.net
Topi Keskinen stats at Finnish FA
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- HJK Helsinki
- Finlandia pada Olimpiade Musim Panas 2020
- Topi Keskinen
- Keskinen
- 2024–25 Aberdeen F.C. season
- 2024 Veikkausliiga
- Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi
- Aberdeen F.C.
- 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group E
- 2024 HJK season
- Finland national football team
- Finland national under-21 football team